Electric Utility Overhead Conductors - STABILOY

1 71 Electric UtilityTransPowr Bare Overhead Conductors for Transmission and DistributionGeneral Cable offers an extensive line of bare Overhead products for both transmission and distribution applications. General Cable s TransPowr bare Overhead products are manufactured and tested in accordance with the latest applicable ASTM Cable s bare Overhead Conductors are available as all-aluminum Conductors (AAC), all-aluminum alloy Conductors (AAAC), aluminum conductor steel-reinforced (ACSR), aluminum conductor steel-supported (ACSS), and T-2 twisted pair AAC and ACSR. AAC consists of 1350-H19 aluminum, is lightweight and corrosion-resistant and is commonly used in Overhead line installations where higher strength or temperature ratings are not required. AAAC consists of high-strength 6201 T81 aluminum alloy and is commonly used for Overhead line installations adjacent to ocean coastlines where there can be a problem of corrosion in the steel of an ACSR construction.

2 ACSR combines the light weight and good conductivity of 1350-H19 aluminum with the high tensile strength and ruggedness of steel. ACSR provides higher tension, less sag and longer span lengths than AAC and AAAC Overhead Conductors . Standard ACSR designs are manufactured with regular-strength Class A galvanized steel (/GA2).With more than 35 years of experience, General Cable applies the same tried and true process pioneered by Reynolds to offer TransPowr ACSS Conductors . With its unique ability to operate at higher temperatures and withstand harsh environmental factors, TransPowr ACSS allows utilities to modernize and optimize the nation s electrical grid with minimal capital investment. TransPowr ACSS offers better performance over ACSR when it operates at high temperatures without detriment to its mechanical properties and with significantly less sag, allowing for much higher ampacity ratings. Standard ACSS designs are manufactured with 1350-O aluminum and regular-strength Class A zinc-5% aluminum mischmetal alloy coated steel (/MA2).

3 With several steel core options such as mischmetal and aluminum-clad steel, TransPowr ACSS is easily customized to meet specific applications and performance levels. TransPowr ACSS is an affordable, long-lasting conductor with improved performance and reliability, made from aluminum and steel components that have been used in transmission lines for more than a hundred years. With thousands of miles installed throughout North America, ACSS is a proven, trustworthy Overhead conductor technology and remains the most accepted solution for high-temperature Cable s TransPowr T-2 Conductors offer remarkable performance and long life in their unique, intelligent design. TransPowr T-2 Conductors are actually two standard round Conductors twisted around each other at 9-foot intervals. This design effectively resists wind-induced motion in two ways. First, the constantly varying diameter drastically inhibits resonant vibration frequencies in the line. Second, the low torsional stiffness of the twist absorbs and dissipates motion-causing wind forces to ineffective energy levels.

4 TransPowr T-2 Conductors can be installed with the same methods and equipment used for round the following page for a complete list and description of the numerous options that are available for TransPowr Overhead products. For ACSR and ACSS concentric round or trapezoidal Conductors , a myriad of aluminum and steel stranding combinations are available. In addition, a variety of steel strengths and types of coatings or claddings are available. Trapezoidal AAC, ACSR and ACSS conductor designs are listed in separate catalog sections. Compact aluminum and ACSR stranded conductor information may be found in the Canadian Electric Utility General Cable manufactures a complete range of bare Overhead products, only the most popular designs are described in the following section. Details of other conductor sizes and designs are available upon Cable provides technical assistance and advice on any challenges associated with conductor design, installation or application.

5 Engineering services are available for specification review, specification development and conductor application inquiries. For more information, contact your General Cables sales representative or e-mail Conductors UtilityIndex PageOverhead ConductorsTransPowr 71-73 Bare Overhead ConductorsAAC All-Aluminum conductor 74-78 AAC/TW Trapezoidal All-Aluminum conductor 80-84 AAAC All-Aluminum Alloy conductor 86-88 ACSR Aluminum conductor Steel-Reinforced 90-100 ACSR/AW Aluminum conductor Aluminum-Clad Steel-Reinforced 102-112 ACSR/TW Trapezoidal Aluminum conductor Steel-Reinforced 114-120 ACSS Aluminum conductor Steel-Supported 122-130 ACSS/AW Aluminum conductor Aluminum-Clad Steel-Supported 132-140 ACSS/TW Trapezoidal Aluminum conductor Steel-Supported 142-148 AAC/T-2 All-Aluminum conductor /Twisted Pair 150-154 ACSR/T-2 Aluminum conductor

6 Steel-Reinforced/Twisted Pair 156-164 ACSR/SD Self-Damping Aluminum conductor Steel-Reinforced 166-170 Weatherproof Overhead Line Wire 172-174 Dead Soft Annealed (DSA) Copper Clad Steel (CCS) Grounding conductor 175 Aluminum Tie Wire 176 TransPowr Bare Overhead Options: Non-Specular (NS) Overhead aluminum electrical Conductors , when installed, typically have a shiny surface appearance. This reflective or specular surface can make a transmission line more noticeable in appearance against the background landscape. A factory treatment process of the outer surface of the aluminum wires can render the surface finish into a dull, non-specular matte gray finish. This non-reflective or de-glared surface finish allows the conductor to become less visible when observed from a distance and enables the transmission line to blend in with the skyline or landscape background. The NS surface finish option is available for all types of bare Overhead Conductors that have aluminum outer strand wires.

7 High-Conductivity Aluminum (HC) The normal 1350 hard-drawn aluminum material used for an ACSR-type conductor has a minimum average conductivity value of IACS (International Association Copper Standard). By carefully selecting the feed stock of the raw materials and manufacturing process used to refine the aluminum and convert it into rolled rod, a purer grade of 1350 aluminum can be manufactured. When this is done, the aluminum conductivity value is increased to The use of the higher conductivity metal means the overall electrical resistance of the conductor is lowered. Lowering the electrical resistance means there are lower line losses incurred in the transmission line. Mischmetal Alloy-Coated Steel Inside an ACSR and ACSS conductor , there is the stranded steel core. To provide corrosion protection for the steel, traditionally zinc has been used to coat (galvanize) the steel. In recent years, a zinc alloy material has also been used. This material, a 95% zinc/5% aluminum alloy, is available as an optional steel wire coating material.

8 The alloy, known as zinc-5% aluminum mischmetal , demonstrates improved corrosion resistance and high temperature exposure as compared to regular zinc. For ACSS Conductors , mischmetal alloy-coated steel is recommended for applications where the conductor will see exposure to temperatures in excess of 200 C. Ultra-High-Strength Steel In response to industry needs, there are new high strength carbon steel materials now available for ACSR and ACSS Conductors . The higher strength steel overcomes some of the previous transmission line design limitations encountered with available conductor selection options. The availability of these new steel materials boosts the conductor rated strength and can enable enhanced sag and tension calculation results. General Cable identifies the new ultra-high-strength steel as GA5 (for zinc coated steel) and MA5 (for the zinc-5% aluminum mischmetal alloy coated steel) strength grade designations. General Cable participated in the creation of two new ASTM Standards to introduce these new steel types (ASTM B957 for GA5 steel and ASTM B958 for MA5 steel).

9 Aluminum-Clad Steel (AW) In the USA, the AW identifier is used for aluminum-clad steel. Elsewhere in the world, other designations are used. Aluminum-clad steel is chosen for coastal locations or applications where there are severe corrosion concerns for the steel core and a zinc or mischmetal coated steel will not last. Aluminum-clad steel also offers the advantage of having a higher conductivity than conventional galvanized steel wires. The higher conductivity will reduce the line loss parameters of the transmission line, saving energy and reducing the day-to-day operating cost. In an ACSS conductor , aluminum-clad steel can allow the conductor to be operated up to 250 C. Compact (Smooth Body) Conductors While not popular in the USA, compact AAC and ACSR type Conductors for distribution conductor sizes are used in Canada and elsewhere in the world. General Cable can supply compact AAC (to ASTM B400) and compact ACSR (to ASTM B401) smooth body type conductor products.

10 Compact Conductors reduce the overall diameter of the conductor , thus lowering the resultant wind and ice loads on the conductor . In heavy ice load locations, the compact conductor option may be an interesting design option to explore. Contact your General Cable sales representative for additional information. Look for the General Cable green symbol and Go Green with our environmentally responsible products. 3/2013 Utility Trapezoidal-Wire (TW) Conductors For Overhead transmission conductor applications, General Cable supplies TW compact-style Conductors . The aluminum wires in a round wire stranded conductor leave approximately 25% of an air gap between the aluminum strands. Compacting the aluminum strands into the trapezoidal (TW) shape allows you to significantly reduce this empty air space and fill it with aluminum. By compacting the metal space, it allows you to build a conductor that either a) has the same cross-sectional area of aluminum and a reduced overall conductor diameter or b) has the same overall conductor diameter as before, but now squeezes in more aluminum cross-sectional area.